Stop Running
by Mystique6
Summary: Hadara's a fugitive of the Fire Nation. The price on her head if caught is death. Hadara's used to running. But one day she runs into the last person she ever expected. Even stranger, he gets her to stop running.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** I don't know whether I love or hate plot bunnies. This fic isn't supposed to be in existence but here you go. Hope you enjoy and please review.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Avatar: The Last Airbender

* * *

"Hadara!"

The girl being called stopped and turned her head, brushing a curtain of raven curls out of her face so she could see who'd called for her. She felt an instant wariness wash over her as she recognized the Kyoshi Warrior.

"Hell, Suki. What do you need?" Hadara asked, her tone polite and almost formal.

"Have you heard the news?" Suki replied with a question. "The avatar arrived on Kyoshi Island yesterday."

Hadara felt her tension increase, but tried not to overreact. "Well, that's exciting," she said. "Although hard to believe since the avatar disappeared a hundred years ago. Are you sure it isn't a prank of some sort?"

"No. The boy is an airbender," Suki answered, and gave her a hard look. "You know all the airbenders were wiped out by the fire nation." Again, Hadara refrained from reacting, and after a moment Suki continued. "This boy even has the arrow tattoos the air nomad monks were infamous for. I'm positive he's the avatar."

"Well, his arrival will have the village in z buzz," Hadara commented. "Was there anything else you needed, Suki? I was on my way to the market."

"No," Suki replied innocently. "I just wanted to tell you the good news. I thought you would be more excited."

Hadara forced a smile. "I am," she assured the warrior. "It's great news. I'm just very busy today. I'm sure you can understand."

"Yes, of course," Suki replied, starting to back away. "I won't keep you any longer. Although if you ever do find the time you should come train with the Kyoshi Warriors."

"No, I'm not one for fighting," Hadara returned keeping her voice even despite her uneasiness. "I'd much rather live my life in peace."

Suki nodded her head. "Alright," she said. "But you're welcome if you ever change your mind."

Hadara watched the warrior walk away before turning around and heading to the market. She almost felt like just turning back and heading home, sure that with the avatar's arrival she would be closely watched. As a firebender she wasn't trusted by the citizens of Kyoshi Island. Her presence was merely tolerated, and only barely. If she made one wrong move she knew she would be executed. It didn't matter to the islanders that she was exiled from the Fire Nation and on the run from its soldiers. She was still the enemy to them. Suki's offer to join the Kyoshi Warriors was just a hidden threat for her to remain at peace. She knew the girl didn't really mean for her to join. And that was fine with Hadara. She didn't want to fight. She just wanted to survive.

Still, she hated the distrust she was always treated with. She'd lived in Kyoshi for over a year now and had never shown the citizens of the island harm. She felt she deserved some trust, and yet she found herself ignoring suspicious glares from others as she entered the market. Hadara sighed and went about gathering supplies she needed. She had just finished filling her basket when she heard an unfamiliar voice from behind her.

"Oh good," a girl's voice rang out. Hadara turned to see a girl a few years younger than herself addressing a young boy with a blue arrow covering his bald head. She realized immediately that he must be the avatar, and it was her surprise that kept her listening to the conversation. "Can you help me carry these back to the room? They're a little heavy."

"Actually, I can't right now," the avatar replied sheepishly.

"What do you mean you can't?" the girl asked annoyed.

"I promised the girls I'd give them a ride on Appa," the avatar explained. Hadara glanced over to the girls the young boy was pointing at and smiled. It seemed like he had quite the fan base going on. "Why don't you come with us?"

"Watching you show off for a bunch of girls does not seem like fun," the girl replied waspishly. Hadara looked more closely at the girl's pinched face and jerky movements as she played with the contents in her basket. It seemed like the girl had feelings for the avatar and Hadara quickly pieced together that the two were traveling together.

"Well, neither does carrying your basket," the avatar snapped back.

"It's not my basket!" the girl exclaimed. "These supplies are for our trip. I told you we have to leave Kyoshi soon."

"I don't want to leave Kyoshi," the avatar replied glancing back at the group of girls that were waiting for him. Hadara hid a smile as the young girl scowled at the avatar.

"Simple monk, huh?" the young girl questioned. "I thought you promised this Avatar stuff wasn't going to go to your head."

"It didn't," the avatar sighed exasperatedly. "I think you don't want to come because you're jealous." Hadara raised an eyebrow and watched what was sure to be an entertaining train wreck. She herself had figured the girl was jealous but she would never make the mistake of saying so to her, and sure enough the girl did not react well.

"Jealous?" she shrieked. "Of what?"

"Jealous that we're having so much fun without you," the avatar replied.

"That's ridiculous," the girl snapped picking up her basket.

Hadara continued to watch the avatar dig his own grave. "It's a little ridiculous, but I understand," the young boy said.

"Ugh!" the girl moaned and stormed off. Hadara watched the boy stare after her for a minute before making his way to the girls who were waiting for him. She knew she should head straight home, but she found herself following after the girl who was struggling with her heavy basket.

"Let me help you," Hadara offered catching up to the girl and taking a few things from her basket and transferring it to her own.

"Oh, thanks," the girl replied sounding relieved. "My friend ditched me to pursue his own interests rather than helping me."

"I know," Hadara responded, and smiled sheepishly at the girl's surprised look. "I overheard what happened at the market. That young boy is the Avatar, right?"

"Yeah, Aang's the Avatar," the girl answered. "He's quickly becoming the Avatar with the biggest head."

"He's young. All the attention he's getting is exciting," Hadara replied. "I'm sure he'll come to reason soon enough. What's your name by the way?"

"I'm Katara," the girl responded. "And who are you?"

"Hadara," she answered.

"Are you a Kyoshi Warrior like Suki?" Katara asked. "We met her yesterday when we arrived."

"No," Hadara answered quickly. "I'm not a warrior. I'm just your typical, average girl."

"I remember those days," Katara laughed. "They were fun. And then the Avatar showed up and I found myself on this crazy adventure."

"You found a purpose," Hadara said. "And it must be interesting to travel with the Avatar. Is it just the two of you?"

"No, my brother travels with us," Katara replied.

"Is your brother Appa?" Hadara asked.

"No," Katara giggled. "Appa is Aang's flying bison. That's how we travel from place to place. My brother's name is Sokka. I don't know where he is at the moment, which is actually a little concerning."

Hadara smiled. "I know how younger siblings can be," she told her.

"Ha!" Katara exclaimed. "Sadly, Sokka's my older brother, but you'd never know it upon meeting him."

"He can't be causing too much trouble," Hadara said. "The Kyoshi Warriors would be on him if he did."

"That's probably true," Katara laughed. "They and a few other villagers on the island attacked us shortly after we arrived yesterday."

"The people here are wary of strangers," Hadara explained. "It's one of the few places left where the war hasn't reached. The people here want to keep it that way."

"Yes, well they aren't the only ones who'd like to keep the fire nation away," Katara huffed. "The people here are lucky the Fire Nation never touched their shore."

"I guess you haven't been as lucky," Hadara replied nervously. She rather liked this young girl. She didn't want to lose her new companion when the girl discovered she was a firebender.

"My brother and I are from the Southern Water Tribe," Katara told her. "The Fire Nation's navy repeatedly raided our village to take away our tribe's waterbenders. I'm the last one left from our village."

"I didn't realize you were a bender," Hadara said. "I guess you're teaching the avatar waterbending?"

"Actually, my brother and I are escorting him to the North Pole," Katara answered. "I don't know much waterbending myself since there was no one left to teach me. We're both hoping to find a master there."

"Well, I'm sure you'll find someone to help you," Hadara replied. "It's just a shame you have to go so far."

Katara snorted. "Well, there's the Fire Nation to thank for that," she responded bitterly. "Firebenders are such jerks!"

"Not all firebenders," Hadara replied quickly, and then froze.

Katara stopped too and looked at her intently before her blue eyes widened. "You're a firebender?" she gasped and then glared at her. "You're a spy for the Fire Nation!"

"No, I'm a fugitive of the Fire Nation," Hadara replied firmly.

Katara's expression softened. "A fugitive?" she repeated. "Why?"

"Four years ago my father led a few men from his legion in the army to rebel against Firelord Ozai," Hadara explained and began to walk forward again. "They'd intended to put General Iroh on the throne since he had originally been the intended successor of Firelord Azulon. They thought Iroh would be the better leader."

"So you and your family were banished?" Katara questioned.

Hadara shook her head. "My family was killed," she said blankly. "My father, mother, and my two younger brothers. The only reason I survived was because I was out when the Firelord's assassination troops came to the house. I was supposed to deliver a message to one of my father's men, but when I arrived at his house I saw that the troops were there. I knew the plan had been discovered and ran back to my home to warn them, but I was too late." She paused and swallowed before finishing. "I've been on the run ever since."

"I'm so sorry," Katara whispered. "And they killed everyone involved with the plan?"

"Every person and their families. I'm the only one that got away," Hadara replied. "If the Fire Nation ever catches me I'll be executed too."

"Is that why you came here?" Katara asked. "Because the war hasn't touched this village."

Hadara shrugged. "Someone suggested I come here," she said. "I've been here for a year and a half." They suddenly stopped walking and Hadara looked up at the building they were standing in front of. "Is this where you're staying?"

"Yes," Katara answered and began to take her supplies back. "I'll let you go now. You've been extremely helpful. I'm grateful."

"It's not a problem," Hadara replied. "Honestly it was nice to talk to someone who doesn't look at me like they expect me to burn the whole place down."

Katara smiled at her. "You know," she said, "you could come with us if you want. I'm sure Aang wouldn't mind, and my brother will get over the fact you're a firebender once he realizes how nice you are."

"Thank you, but I can't," Hadara refused. "I'd like to stay under the radar of the Fire Nation."

"I understand," Katara replied. "It was very nice meeting you."

"Likewise," Hadara returned grinning. "I hope I'll see you again someday." She waved goodbye before turning around and heading towards her own home.

Zuko tapped his foot impatiently as he saw the shore line to Kyoshi Island still a few feet away. He knew the avatar was on the island and he was determined to capture him this time. His honor would be restored.

"Patience, Prince Zuko," he heard the warm voice of his Uncle Iroh come from behind him. He looked over his shoulder as his uncle stepped up beside him. "We'll be on their shore in less than ten minutes."

"He might escape by then," Zuko huffed, his attention returning to the arriving shore.

"And if he does you'll be right on his tail," Uncle Iroh assured him.

Zuko turned around and walked away. "I have to get my men ready," he said tersely. He went around the ship barking orders at his men and preparing everyone for the invasion. His uncle was right about the time it took to reach the coastline of Kyoshi Island. He had his men unload the komodo rhinos and mount them before leading them into the village.

When they arrived at the mouth of the village he looked around at the deserted streets, and scowled. "Come out, Avatar!" Zuko cried. "You can't hide from me forever." When there was no response he finally gave his men their orders. "Find him. Go door to door if you have to." He watched his men march off through the streets and was about to follow along when his attention was caught by a villager moving nearby. He had never been to Kyoshi Island before, yet the wild tangle of raven curls was instantly recognizable to him. Without further thought he dismounted his komodo rhino and headed towards the worn out shack the girl had entered.

"Zuko, where are you going?" his uncle asked following after him. He didn't respond and walked up onto the porch before pounding on the door. When it opened he knew immediately that he had the right girl. Hadara Maki, a fugitive wanted by the Fire Nation.

"Do you know who we are?" Zuko asked her. The girl's eyes were large with fright, but she seemed puzzled by the question. It seemed that although he recognized her she did not realize who he was. Of course, she had run off a year before he got the scar marring most of the left half of his face. He watched as her eyes drifted from him to his uncle behind him, and then the girl gasped.

"General Iroh!" Hadara exclaimed stumbling back. Zuko took the opportunity to push forward into the shack. Looking around him he could see the building only had one room, and it was scantily furnished. The only decorative piece at all was a painting of the girl's family. How she had that on her, he did not know. The Fire Nation army had burnt her house to the ground the day after her family was executed.

"Prince Zuko, it is rude to burst into someone's home uninvited," he heard his uncle chide him from the porch.

Zuko whirled around to face him. "She's a fugitive Uncle!" he cried. "And an enemy to the Fire Nation. I don't need to be invited in to make an arrest." He turned his attention back to Hadara who was staring at him. She was clearly terrified, and he had to try hard to ignore the sympathy he felt for the girl as he watched her trembling. He had a duty to perform. And capturing a traitor and the avatar in one day could only please his father. "Hadara Maki, you are under arrest for…"

"Please," Hadara whispered backing up a step.

The soft plead drew him up short. "What?" he asked.

"Please," Hadara said again. "Don't."

And that shook Zuko back into himself. "You're a traitor to the nation. If you think…"

"Zuko, I think you should reconsider," his uncle said suddenly.

Zuko sighed and turned to face his uncle. "She committed a crime against the Fire Nation…"

"No, her father did," Uncle Iroh cut him off. "She is just a victim of his actions."

"That doesn't matter!" Zuko cried. "There is an arrest warrant out for her, and I'm taking her in."

To his surprise his uncle's face hardened. "You would send her to her death knowing she herself is innocent," Uncle Iroh questioned.

Zuko hesitated and looked back at Hadara. The girl's large amber eyes were staring pleadingly at him, and he felt his resolve crumble. He glowered and walked back towards the door. "I suggest you make sure to never come across my path again," he called over his shoulder in warning. "I won't be so lenient a second time." He hopped off the porch and remounted his komodo rhino before rushing back into town. He turned his head to see his uncle was following behind him.

When he got back to the main road he saw that his men had come under attack. His soldiers were off their steeds fighting armor clad women as the village burned down around them. Before he could decide what to do he was suddenly knocked off his own steed. He quickly got back on his feet and easily brushed off his attackers. He stormed out into the road and looked around him.

"Nice try, Avatar!" he called out. "But these little girls can't save you."

"Hey! Over here!" he heard a voice cry out from his right. He turned and saw the avatar staring him down, positioned for battle.

"Finally," he whispered before sending flames straight for him. The avatar dodged the flames with his airbending. Frustrated, Zuko charged the young avatar, but was knocked back by a large blast of air. When he got back to his feet the avatar had rushed off. Zuko looked around for him, and then saw the avatar's sky bison soaring overhead.

"Back to the ship!" he ordered his men. "Don't lose sight of them." He took off at a run to the ship, his men following him. He hadn't quite reached the end of the village when a giant sea monster reared up from the sea and sprayed the town with water. He scowled as the water dripped from his face and glared at the receding form of the sky bison. They were going to lose track of the avatar again. He sighed in frustration as his men continued on to the ship, and was about to follow them when for some reason he turned his head back in the direction of Hadara's home. His eyes widened when he saw the charred black siding and the huge hole burnt into the roof, and without much thought headed towards the shack.

"Prince Zuko, what are you doing?" his uncle asked him.

"I want to make sure she wasn't hurt," Zuko replied carelessly as he made his way to the shack. He didn't know why he cared, but he felt bad that her home was burnt.

"I don't think that is a good idea," Uncle Iroh replied grabbing his shoulder and pulling him back.

"Why not?" Zuko snapped.

"I do not think she will be glad to see you," his Uncle told him.

"I spared her life," Zuko retorted, ignoring the fact that his uncle had convinced him too. "She should be thankful towards me."

"Somehow I doubt that's what her feelings are towards you," Uncle Iroh said dryly. Zuko scoffed and brushed him off, continuing to make his way to the girl's home. Behind him he could hear his uncle following him, again.

"Hadara," he called as he entered the ruined building. He stopped short when he saw the girl staring at the painting of her family with her back turned towards him. It was destroyed. Most of the canvas had been burnt by the fire and what remained what blackened beyond recognition. He felt a horrible surge of guilt fill him as he stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Hadara…"

The girl whirled around to face him. "What?!" she cried, cold fury barely contained in her voice. Her eyes gleamed with a raging fire behind them. "What do you want? What more can you possibly take from me?"

Zuko's eyes looked back up at the ruined family portrait again before lowering back to Hadara's glaring gaze. "I'm sorry," he said. "I never meant…"

Hadara's hysterical laughter cut him off and he blinked at her in surprise. It was a moment before she calmed down again, her expression murderous. "Take your fake apologies and get out," she hissed.

"I wasn't…"

"GET OUT!" Hadara screeched and he dodged a ball of flame that she hurled it at him. He immediately positioned himself into a fighting stance and was about to attack when he felt his uncle's hand on his shoulder once more.

"Zuko, please listen to the girl," Uncle Iroh pleaded. He hesitated for a moment and headed for the door, pausing to wait for his uncle who was now addressing the girl. "I am very sorry for you loss. Your father was a great man. I am thankful to have known him." Hadara's eyes squeezed shut and she crumpled to the floor as her grief flowed through her.

Zuko wanted to say something, but let his uncle lead him out and back to the ship. They traveled in silence and it wasn't until that night, long after they'd set their course to chase after the avatar, that he finally said anything to his uncle. "The next time we enter a town if you see any wanted posters of her take them down," he ordered.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Here's the second chapter up. I hope you enjoy and please review.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing from Avatar: The Last Airbender. All rights belong to the writers and creators of the show.

* * *

Hadara crawled forward to the bow of the ship and peered out a small hole in its hull and felt relief wash over her as she saw land approaching. After two weeks stowing away on a cargo ship that left from Kyoshi Island she was more than ready to get back on solid ground. She was half starved from surviving on stolen biscuits that tasted no better than sawdust. Leaving the bow of the ship she crawled back under the tarp with the cargo she'd been hiding in the whole journey.

After she had gotten herself back together after Prince Zuko and General Iroh left she'd immediately run to the coast line and hid amongst the rocks along the shore. She had known that once the villagers recovered from the shock of the attack they would come after her, assuming she had sent word to the Fire Nation that the avatar had arrived on their island. She had known when she arrived on Kyoshi Island and was treated with so much suspicion and hostility when they figured out her origins that she wouldn't be able to stay there permanently, but it was still a low blow to have to leave the only real home she'd had in years. It had been hard to leave it behind. However, when she'd seen a cargo ship arrive to pick up what remained of the town's trade she waited for the right moment before hiding amongst the cargo and letting the sailors carry her onboard.

And she was waiting for the right moment now to leave. She knew she had a limited amount of time in which to make an escape unnoticed, and she didn't intend to get caught. She waited patiently for the ship to reach the docks of the town and then for the sailors to come down and unload the cargo. She held on tightly to a plank of the wooden pallet the cargo rested on as it was lifted and carried up onto the deck and then off the ship. She waited a moment to let the sailors walk away from the cargo before crawling out from under the tarp and then began to make her way up the dock towards the town.

"Hey! You!" a deep voice cried out and she spun around to see one of the sailors looking right at her. She'd been caught. Quickly, she tore off down the beach and picked up the pace when she heard the sailor shouting for guards to go after her. The sand made it hard to run, and she stumbled multiple times, but she had a good head start on the men chasing after her, and once she breached the shores and entered the woods surrounding it she quickly lost them. Still, she kept running until her legs gave out and she landed hard on her knees, panting for breath. She closed her eyes and groaned as her heartbeat slowly steadied. She couldn't go into the town now. She'd have to go on, but she didn't even know how far the next town was. And as she looked around her she realized there were no pathways for her to follow. Deciding there was nothing better to do she decided to follow as close as she could to the shoreline as possible. Although she could not see the ocean from where she was, she could still hear the waves crashing on the shore.

Hadara walked on in her chosen direction. She plowed on throughout the day and even into the night. But finally, her strength gave out and she had to stop. She could barely keep her eyes open as exhaustion took over her. The rough terrain of the forest had taken its toll on her, and it didn't help that her stomach hurt from hunger. She was beginning to feel lightheaded and she knew she had to eat soon if she didn't want to starve. Hadara knew enough survival tricks to be able to live in the forest for some time, but it was too dark now to look for any berries or mushrooms to eat. She would have to wait for daylight to get nourishment. With that disheartening thought in mind she was about to give up when she noticed the faint glow of light to her left, and realized with shock that she'd stumbled onto a pathway. The thought of possibly gaining shelter filled her with enough determination to trudge along the path until she reached the place that the lights were coming from.

She stepped into the bright lit courtyard of a humble looking building and glanced around her. The few people milling about the courtyard were dressed in gray and had white headscarves covering their hair. She recognized the building immediately as an abbey. Her presence finally caught the attention of one of the nuns nearby.

"Can I help you, child?" the nun asked. Hadara turned to face her and the nun's face paled. "You're from the Fire Nation! You're not welcome here."

"No, please! I need sanctuary," Hadara pleaded. "I'm a fugitive of the Fire Nation. I mean you no harm."

"You're not welcome I said. Move along," the nun ordered harshly.

Hadara was about to turn away in defeat when another person stepped out into the courtyard. "Sister, what is the meaning of all this noise?" another nun with a more intricate headscarf asked.

"She's Fire Nation, Superior," the first nun replied. "I was telling her to leave."

"But she has asked for sanctuary," the nun superior said. "And we have a room to grant her."

"She is an enemy to the Earth Kingdom," the first nun replied.

The head nun glanced Hadara over with an appraising look before addressing her fellow sister. "She does not seem like an enemy to me," she stated and then turned to Hadara. "Follow me please. The two of us will get your room settled."

"Thank you," Hadara replied and followed her.

"You probably just want to fall into bed, you look exhausted, but I'm afraid we'll have to get sheets on it first," the nun superior told her.

"I don't mind," Hadara replied. "I'd stay awake for days if you needed me to. I'm grateful enough."

"Well, there's no need for you to stay awake that long," the nun superior said. They arrived at a cupboard and the nun pulled out a set of clean, white sheets. Hadara followed her down the hall and into a bedroom. The room was plain, but of a decent size. There was a cot lined up against the opposite wall and a small closet across from that, as well as a dresser on the adjacent to her.

"I trust you know how to make a bed yourself?" the nun superior inquired. "I would help, but I have to attend to another resident who's been ill."

"Of course," Hadara replied quickly, taking the sheets from the nun. "I understand and can manage on my own from here. Thank you." The nun superior nodded her head and had almost left the room when Hadara's stomach growled loudly. Hadara flushed but the nun just smiled.

"Our cook may still be up," the nun superior told her. "Before you put those sheets on why don't you run down to the kitchens? I'm sure Sister Ine could get you some bread and cheese." Hadara thanked the nun again and followed her directions to the kitchen.

Over the next few weeks, Hadara settled into life at the abbey. As it turned out, she wasn't the only fugitive there. There were a few men from a nearby town who were hiding from their town's law enforcement. They'd apparently been involved in a scuffle where someone was fatally injured. According to the men, it had been the other man's fault, but Hadara wasn't sure she believed them. She and the other people at the abbey avoided the men for the most part, only interacting at meal times.

The criminals weren't her only choice for company, though. An old women held residence in one of the rooms. Hadara spent a lot of time with her, helping her mend clothes of the other refugees and fugitives at the abbey and helping her sew blankets that the nuns sent out to the towns around them to provide aid to the young children. Hadara greatly enjoyed the time she spent with the old woman. She was kind and funny and told great stories about her life. Hadara felt sorry for her too. She'd lost her husband to the war when a group a fire nation men raided their village. Her husband had refused to hand over their money and they'd killed him. The next day her only son went off to join the war. For months he'd sent money to her so she could pay for their home but one month the money stopped coming and it never came again. Her landowner had told her she'd have to leave her home, and that was how she ended up here. The saddest part of the old woman's story was that she truly believed her son was still alive. Everyone else at the abbey knew he must have been killed, or at best, been made a prisoner of war, but no one said so to the old woman. No one wanted to take away her hope.

Hadara also spent a lot of time with a young mother and her daughter. They'd lost their husband and father to the war, at this point a hardly original story. The mother had been forced to run to the abbey when an obsessed neighbor began to threaten their lives. Hadara felt the most pity for this family. The little girl was frail and sickly and her desperate mother spent most of her time trying to nurse her to health. Hadara spent a lot of time cleaning their room for them and telling the little girl bedtime stories her mother had once told her so the mother could get some rest.

Even though she was from the fire nation, most of the people at the abbey were accepting of her. It was only a few characters, like the first nun she'd met, that treated her with suspicion and hostility. Hadara though, was much more comfortable her than she'd been on Kyoshi. She'd settled into her own pattern of life at the abbey. She woke up at dawn and went on a long walk along the shore before coming back and freshening up for breakfast. After breakfast she'd sew and chat with the old woman, Widow Mura before doing a few chores for the nuns before lunch. Then she spent most of the afternoon looking out for the young mother and daughter before taking another walk along the shore. After dinner she stayed in her room and meditated. Meditation helped drive off the almost constant anger she felt towards the fire nation for destroying her life. A part of her wanted to go on a rampage of revenge, but she knew that's not what her father would want of her, so she did the best she could to move on from her past.

Today, she started her routine no differently as she slipped on her worn out boots. She grimaced as she found a new hole in the sole. Soon she'd have to go without shoes. She couldn't afford a new pair at the moment. Sighing, she stood up and settled her thin coat over her shoulders before heading towards the courtyard and then the ocean's shore. However, as she reached the courtyard she heard a conversation going on. Curious, she sidled closer and saw a group of men filling the abbey's courtyard. A tall man with darker skin was talking to the nun superior. Hadara guessed he was the group's leader from the way the other men stood behind him. She glanced over the other men. They were strangely dressed in heavy fabric, mostly blue. The weapons she saw on them were basic and crude. Spears and knives that were clearly made of animal bones. Some of the men wore facial paint making them look tribal. She had never seen such men before.

Her attention finally landed on the three men closest to their leader. They were holding another man up between them. Their partner seemed to be gravely injured and Hadara felt a flicker of nerves as she realized fire nation armies could be near. Shifting her eyes back to the leader she listened to their conversation.

"I'm afraid we don't have any more free rooms," the nun superior was explaining. "You'll have to take your man into town. It's only five miles north of here."

"He won't last the journey if he isn't helped now," the leader replied.

"We have no room for him," the nun superior repeated. "I am sorry. I wish we could help you."

Hadara found herself walking up towards the group and saying, "He could share my quarters."

The nun superior gasped. "Child, that wouldn't be appropriate," she said.

"This man needs help, and there's plenty of room in my quarters to share," Hadara insisted. "It would be wrong to turn away a man in such need."

"Well, I'm not sure…" the nun superior hesitated.

"Sister, Bato is a man of honor," the leader of the tribesmen said. "He would never take advantage of the young girl or lead her astray."

The head nun nodded her head. "Then you may bring him to stay," she replied before walking off.

"I'll lead you to my room," Hadara told them and turned back in the direction she'd come from. The leader and the two men carrying the injured man followed her. She grabbed sheets from the cupboard and brought them to her room. "I'll strip my sheets from the bed and give you fresh ones. If you can hold onto him just a little longer."

"Tell the girl to put the fresh sheets in the opposite corner," the injured man wheezed. "I won't steal her bed."

"But you need it more than I," Hadara protested as the two men carried the injured Bato to the opposite side of the room.

The leader of the group smiled at her. "We're all from the Southern Water Tribe. We're used to sleeping on the hard ground," he told her. "Bato will be just fine with some sheets spread out under him."

"Well, if you're sure," Hadara replied handing over the sheets to the leader.

"I'm sure," he assured him. "My name's Chief Hakoda by the way."

"Hadara," she replied.

"You must be part of the Earth Kingdom," Chief Hakoda commented. "The Fire Nation left you homeless, now?"

Hadara glanced away from the man. "Yes," she answered. "The Fire Nation took away my home and family."

"I'm sorry," the chief replied. "You're not the only one here who's lost loved ones to the Fire Nation." Hadara nodded her head and stood around as the men settled Bato in.

One of the men who'd carried him in began looking around the room. "Where's your flint so we can start a fire?" he asked standing in front of the fire pit in the middle of the room.

Hadara glanced quickly up at the man who'd spoken before sending a blast of flames at the pit and setting the logs on fire. "I don't need any flint to start a fire," she said quietly.

"She's Fire Nation!" the other man exclaimed.

The man who'd asked for the flint backed up towards his fellow warriors. "Let's get Bato out of here," he stated. "If we go quickly he might survive the journey to town."

"Don't be ridiculous," Bato's voice cut through the room. "I'm not going to town when I have a place to stay here. Don't be rude. This girl has helped us. She's no threat."

The other two warriors glanced at each other before deferring to their leader, who hadn't said a word. "Chief?" they asked.

"Bato isn't in any danger her," Chief Hakoda declared before turning to her. "Please forgive the actions and words of my men. We've been fighting against the Fire Nation so long it is hard to remember that there are good members of the Fire Nation too."

"Of course," Hadara assured him. "I'm used to it. I'll just leave you to care for him for a moment." The chief nodded at her and she slipped out before heading out on her morning walk, feeling dazed from the morning's events.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Here's the third chapter. I hope you enjoy.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything from Avatar: The Last Airbender

* * *

Hadara cursed as she landed hard on her knees and rocks bit into the palms of her hands. She sat down on the cold, dewy ground and looked back to see what she'd tripped over and groaned. A root raised above the ground was the culprit, and not only had it cost her the skin on her hands, but it had torn the sole of her boot half way off. That in and of itself wasn't surprising. The sole had been broken and repaired many times now. Her other boot was in the same precarious state, but when you're on the run and have no money new boots aren't an option. Angrily, she slipped the ruin boot off her foot and climbed back to her feet. She kept it tightly in her hand the rest of the way back to the abbey.

She limped through the door of her room to see one of the nuns attending Bato, the water tribe clansmen she'd allowed to share her residence. The man's wounds were healing nicely, but the nuns still insisted on changing his bandages every few days. Hadara was just glad to see it was one of the kinder nuns. She kept her back turned from the other two and tried to search through her bag for a needle and thread without drawing attention to herself but her movement caught the attention of the nun.

"Is there something you needed help finding my…oh goodness!" the nun exclaimed when Hadara turned around. "What happened to you child?"

"Nothing," Hadara assured her quickly. She knew her appearance was disheveled and a little unsettling. "Just tripped over a raised root. It tore the sole off my boot though. I was looking for a needle and thread but I must have used my last bit the last time I repaired them.

The nun took her ruined boot off her and inspected it for a moment. She shook her head and handed it back to her. "I can get you a needle and thread if you'd like, but I'm afraid it would be a hopeless task," she said solemnly. "Both boots are past repair. We'll have to hope a pair are donated to the abbey in the next charity drive." Hadara sighed and sat down on her bed as the nun left. There was little chance of a pair of shoes her size being donated to the abbey and even if there were a pair in the next charity drive she'd insist they go to the mother and daughter living here. Taking off her other boot she tossed them both in the trash bin.

"You know, your clothes aren't in very good shape either," Bato commented from his thin mattress pad. "Your pants have a tear from your fall."

Hadara scowled and glanced down at the dirty tear in her pants. "I'm a fugitive," she said. "I can't afford new clothes. I'm lucky to have the ones I have."

To her surprise Bato laughed. "I'm sorry," he told her. "I didn't mean to offend you. I only wished to tell you that I have a remedy to your clothes situation."

Hadara raised her eyebrows at him. "And what would that be?" she questioned.

Bato nodded his head to the animal skin bag he owned. "Inside there's a package," he said. "Open it." Hadara crossed the room and rifled through the bag until she pulled out a package wrapped in brown paper. She was surprised by how heavy it was. Carefully, she tore the paper away and her eyes widened as blue fabric. She glanced up at Bato to find him smiling at her. "Well, let's see it."

Hadara placed the package down and pulled the clothes out of the back. A dark blue dress followed by a paler blue cape that had white trimming around the hood. "They're beautiful," she whispered reverently. It had been a long time since she'd held clothes so beautiful.

"I bought them from a street vendor for my daughter," Bato told her.

"I'm sure she'll love them."

"I want you to have them," Bato said.

"What?" Hadara exclaimed and then shook her head. "I can't. My pants just need some new thread and they'll be as good as new."

"I don't want you to have them because of a hole in your pants," Bato replied firmly. "Consider them a token of gratitude for allowing me to share your quarters. Let me thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," Hadara murmured. "It wouldn't have been right to turn you away."

"I'm still grateful," Bato insisted. "So, please, accept the clothes as a gift. And the boots too." Hadara turned back to the chair she'd set the package on and saw a pair of shiny, black boots. She bit her lip and turned back to Bato.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "I don't want to take a gift for your daughter."

"I'm positive," Bato told her. "To my daughter they would just be another article of clothing. They mean more to you."

Hadara nodded. "Thank you," she whispered and then she slipped into the bathroom and tried them on. Her pale skin and raven curls stood out against the blue water tribe colors. She blushed at her own reflection. The green and brown rags she'd been wearing as a fugitive had made her look dingy. Seeing herself now, it was the first time she'd felt beautiful in four years. When she stepped back into her room Bato whistled.

"You're a sight for sore eyes," he commented, grinning broadly. "You'd have all the men in my tribe fawning after you."

Hadara smiled widely. "I'm not sure I'd enjoy the attention," she said before sending some flames into the fire pit. "Do you miss home?"

"More than anything," Bato replied and they were quiet for a minute, enjoying the heat from the fire. "Do you?"

She turned her head towards him. "Do I what?" she asked a little breathlessly.

"Do you miss your home in the Fire Nation?" Bato asked again.

Hadara closed her eyes and pictured the brick house on the hill that had held so many memories of hers. "Sometimes," she admitted. "I miss my family more."

"What happened to them?" Bato asked and she told him. After he gave her some time to get her emotions under control before he placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "You're father sounds like he was a brave man. I wish I could have had the honor to meet him." After that, the two became great friends. Hadara got him back on his feet much faster than the nuns ever could have and he adapted to her daily routines, taking a walk with her every morning before attending to the old widow and the mother and her sick daughter. They would go for another walk right after dinner.

One night, Hadara wanted to stay out a little later than normal so Bato left to head back to the abbey. Hadara stayed down by the shoreline for a while longer before returning. She paused at her door though when she heard multiple voices coming from inside her room. She pressed her ear to the door and heard the sound of a male voice that didn't belong to Bato. She then heard a female voice, and was even more surprised to realize she recognized it. Smiling she opened the door to hear Bato responding to their conversation.

"…everything's funnier with hindsight," he said.

"Oh, I don't know," Hadara stated. "Not everything can be funny." The group turned to look at her and Katara smiled.

"Hadara!" Katara exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"You know her," a boy with dark skin and blue eyes asked. They had similar features to each other.

"This is your brother Sokka, right?" Hadara asked.

"You remembered," Katara laughed surprised. "Yes, and my other companion is Aang. And this is…"

"Oh, there's no need to introduce us, Katara," Bato interrupted. "We've been sharing this room for the past few weeks. We're already good friends."

"Well, at least you haven't been completely miserable and on your own away from the tribe," Katara said.

"No, Hadara has been good company," Bato replied warmly. "And she always keeps the room nice and warm."

"Good with a flint?" Sokka inquired.

"She doesn't need it, Sokka. She's Fire Nation," Katara said.

"What?!" Sokka exclaimed. "Bato, we have to get you out of here before her friends show up to arrest you."

"That's quite unnecessary, Sokka," Bato replied. "I suspect she doesn't have any friends in the Fire Nation."

"She's a fugitive, Sokka," Katara told her brother. "She's not about to call Fire Nation Soldiers to her."

"They're right there," Hadara added. "You don't have to worry about being unsafe around me."

Sokka looked like he wanted to argue more but gave in. "Fine, but I'm watching you," he warned her.

"Calm down, Sokka," Bato insisted. "Your father trusted her."

"Dad, met her?" Katara asked.

Bato nodded. "The night they left me here," Bato answered. "There's something I should tell you kids. I'm expecting a message from your father."

"Really?" Katara exclaimed.

"When?" Sokka asked eagerly.

"Any day now," Bato told them. "Your father said he'd send a message when they found a rendezvous point. If you can wait here until the message arrives you can come with me and see your father."

"It's been over two years," Sokka said. "That would be so incredible."

"I do really miss him," Katara sighed. "It would be awesome to see dad."

"It's been far too long, hasn't it," Bato said.

"It would be great, but we can't," Sokka replied. "We have to take Aang to the North Pole first."

"Even if we had time to wait for the message who knows how far we'd have to travel. We don't have time for a long detour," Katara added.

"I'm sure your father would understand, and be proud that his children are helping the avatar," Bato said. "You know though, you should add Hadara to your team."

"What?" Hadara exclaimed.

"You shouldn't be cooped up here," Bato told her. "Go out and live your life. It would be a great way to get revenge for your family as well."

Hadara bit her lip. "I don't know," she said. "I'm not cut out for it."

"You'll be fine," Katara joined in. "It would be great to have another girl on the team. Please?"

"Well, if no one minds," Hadara replied glancing over at Sokka. The boy sighed and shook his head.

"As long as you don't set us on fire, it's fine," he said.

"Sokka," Katara scolded.

"Hey everyone," Aang suddenly called out from the door way. Sorry I was gone so long."

"Hey Aang," Katara said. "I hadn't noticed you left. We have a new member of the team by the way."

"Really?" Aang asked eyeing up Bato. "Well that's great, but doesn't he have to go back to his warriors?"

Bato laughed. "I do," he said. "Hadara here, on the other hand, is free to join your team."

"Oh," Aang replied looking a little relieved. "Welcome, to the team Hadara."

"Well, I think that's enough excitement for one night," Bato yawned. "I'm going to bed. Make yourselves at home kids."

The next morning Hadara followed the group out to the boat the water tribe soldiers had left behind. She'd already seen it of course. Bato had taken her out for a ride on it shortly after he was back on his feet and well enough to handle the steering. Still, she was enjoying spending time with others again. It had been over four years that she talked with others strictly for socializing.

"This ship is sentimental to me," Bato sighed as they arrived at the ship. "It was built by my father."

"Is this the boat he took you ice dodging in?" Sokka asked excitedly.

"Yes," Bato answered. "It's got the scar to prove it. How about you, Sokka? You must have some good stories about your first time ice dodging."

"He never got to go," Katara explained. "Dad left before he was old enough."

"Oh," Bato replied sympathetically. "I forgot you were too young."

"I'm sorry," Hadara cut in, "but what is ice dodging?"

Bato smiled down at her. "It's a rite of passage for young water tribe members," he explained. "When you turn fourteen your dad takes you." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know what? You're about to find out."

"I am?" Hadara replied surprised.

"You are," Bato answered walking onto his ship. "Ice dodging is a ceremonial test of wisdom and bravery and trust. In our village it was done by weaving the boat through a field of icebergs."

"Sounds dangerous," Hadara commented but she seemed the only one in the group concerned by the prospect. Everyone else was geared up.

"How are we supposed to ice dodge without ice?" Sokka questioned.

"You'll be dodging those," Bato pointed ahead at rocks poking out of the rapids before giving out orders. "Sokka, you steer and call the shots. Lead wisely. Katara, you secure the main saw. The winds can be brutal so be brave. Aang, you control the jib. Without your steady hand we all go down. Your position is about trust."

"Should I wait on shore?" Hadara asked meekly.

Bato laughed. "No, you and I will enjoy the ride," he told her. "Don't worry. I've known Sokka since he was a baby. You're in competent hands." Hadara smiled and nodded her head. She thought they were all crazy, but she trusted Bato enough to make sure they were all safe to go along with it. She gripped onto mast of the ship tightly as it began to careen towards the rocks. Sokka barked out orders that Aang and Katara followed. She began to enjoy herself until a wall of rocks appeared ahead of them.

"There's no way through!" Katara yelled.

"We can make it," Sokka insisted.

"He's crazy!" Hadara exclaimed.

"Sokka, you've already proven yourself," Bato said. "Maybe we should…"

"Aang!" Sokka hollered cutting Bato off. "I'm gonna need you in that sail." Hadara stopped listening and watched in horror as the ship sailed closer and closer to the rocks looming up ahead. She closed her eyes and screamed, waiting for impact…that didn't come. When she opened her eyes the rest of the group were cheering excitedly.

"We're not dead?" she asked.

Bato laughed. "No," he assured her. "We made it out safe and sound." The group made their way back to shore where Bato had them line up. "The spirits of water bear witness to these marks." He held up a bowl of paint. "With Sokka, the mark of the wise, the same mark your father earned." He drew a symbol across the teen's forehead. "For Katara, the mark of the brave. Your courage inspires us. For Hadara, the mark of companionship. We appreciate your company. And for Aang, the mark of the trusted. You are now an honorary member of the water tribe."

Aang's head lowered. "I can't," he said glumly.

"Of course you can," Katara insisted.

"No. You can't trust me," Aang replied. He took a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Katara. "The messenger gave this to me. You have to understand I was afraid you would leave…"

"This is the map to our father!" Sokka cried in realization. Hadara winced at his tone. She watched as Sokka tore into Aang and Bato try to cool the situation down. He was unsuccessful. Katara and Sokka both stalked off. Bato followed after them to make sure they were okay. Hadara stayed with Aang.

"If you want," she offered hesitantly, "I could go with you to the North Pole."

"You want to come with me to the North Pole?" Aang asked.

Hadara shrugged. "I can't really stay here to much longer," she answered. "The abbey is for those who really need it. I can get by on my own."

"Okay," Aang said. "I wouldn't mind the company." Hadara went back to her room and packed up. Bato was pleased with her plans when she told him.

"It'll be good for you," he told her. "You'll get to see more of the world and you'll have a purpose. I bet you'll forget you're on the run."

"I doubt that," Hadara replied. "But we'll see."

The next morning she met up with Aang. He was reluctant to leave so they poked around the shore for a while until the lead nun rushed up to them. "Avatar, you must leave," the nun insisted.

"Okay," Aang sighed. "I get it. Everybody wants me gone."

"A group of people came to the abbey looking for you," the Nun Superior replied.

"Who?" Aang questioned.

"A fierce looking woman with a terrible monster and a young man with a scar," the nun answered.

Hadara gasped. "Zuko," she whispered and started backing up.

"Hadara?" Aang questioned. "Wait!" But she didn't listen. She took off running. If Zuko was in the area then she was getting out of it.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** This chapter is a little short but hopefully you still enjoy it. Next chapter Hadara meets up with the gaang again and after that Zuko and Hadara are going to have a lot more interaction with each other. Enjoy the chapter. Thanks for reading. Leave me a review please!

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

* * *

"Wake up, Miss. We're here," a sharp voice called from outside the canvases wagon she was traveling in. Hadara blinked sleepily and uncurled her limbs, crawling out of the back of the wagon. She stretched her aching muscles before turning to the man who'd driven her here.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Gaoling," the man answered. "This is as far as I can take you."

Hadara nodded. "Thank you," she said. "Can you direct me to a shelter I can stay at?" She had been traveling for a month now since leaving the abbey. A bed to sleep in and hot food sounded like heaven to her.

"I can point you to two, but you won't have any luck at either," the man replied. "They're overcrowded."

"I'll take the addresses anyway," Hadara told him, unwilling to give up the chance for a break. The man directed her where to go and she began to trudge through the town. She let her eyes scan the buildings around her. The town was nice. Money was clearly flowing through the financial side to the town. Atop a large hill she saw in the distance she could see a clearly wealthy estate. She wondered what it would be like to live there. It had been four years since she'd lived in any form of comfort. Her family hadn't been rich but her father had been a successful military man. They'd lived comfortably. She had certainly never been left wanting for anything. It amazed her how well she'd adapted to always being hungry. To always being too cold. To rarely finding a comfortable place to rest for the night. In the past four years it seemed like she had no luck at all.

And tonight her chances hadn't improved at all. She was turned away from both shelters. No room, the workers told her. At least the smaller of the two shelters provided her with a bun, even though it was stale it was something to put in her empty stomach. Hadara wandered the streets for a safe place to rest for the night. She eventually found an abandoned lean to resting against the back wall of a building in town. She huddled into the small space. She'd try and find a job tomorrow.

A week later and Hadaka's prospects hadn't changed. She'd been forced by the owner of the shop to vacate the lean to she'd been staying in. She hadn't been able to find much to eat. No one would feed her. We can't give to you without providing for the other beggars she was told over and over again. Apparently, the homeless were a large problem for a long time in the city. Tonight, she found herself wandering a shady part of time when a large crowd meandered past her to a rundown building. Curious, and in need of a break from constant hardship she snuck into the building with them. She thought immediately that there was an event set up. She hoped it was legal. She carefully made her way down the rows of seats and found a spot that wasn't too dirty. She waited for the show to start.

Hadara did her best to ignore the rowdiness of the crowd as she waited. She didn't know why she was interested in the event, just that it was a distraction from her current situation. She found herself oddly relaxed by the boisterous environment. Suddenly, her attention was caught by a man in the center of the ring.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the man's booming voice echoed throughout the arena. "My name is Shin Fu. Tonight will test the strength of many of our greatest competitors. Our challenger tonight, the Smasher, will face the greatest challenge of his life. He has a reputation to protect, not to mention the 100 gold pieces and the championship belt." Hadara sat straight up at the mention of money. 100 gold pieces was a lot of currency. It was money she could use to pay for food and a place to stay. She shifted nervously in her seat. Normally, she refrained from theft, but in desperate times she'd been resorted to pickpocketing before. Doing her best not to look guilty she settled in to wait and see her potential victim. If she saw his moves she might be able to spot a weakness she could exploit when she snagged the money from him.

However, it quickly became apparent to her as the match began that these fighters were not the type you stole from if you valued your life. Feeling slightly defeated she sank back into her seat and tried to enjoy the fights. The matches were certainly exciting, and Hadara appreciated a chance to view other benders. The challenger that night was very skilled. He bowled over his opponents, even the competitors who were very skilled benders. At the end of the night it looked like he would be going home with the money and the championship belt.

Hadara had just stood up to leave when Shin Fu walked out into the middle of the ring again. "What great fights tonight!" he cheered riling the crowd up. "But I think you'll find the last match of the night to be the most exciting as our challenger faces our reigning champion, the Blind Bandit!" The crowds' cries grew in volume and Hadara sat back down in her seat, afraid to move through the stands. She turned her attention back to the ring and her eyes nearly bugged out of her head when she saw a young girl in the middle of the ring facing off to the nights challenger. This facility had to be illegal. Hadara couldn't think what facility would allow a kid to fight a man who had to be twice her age, and dangerous. And to add to that the girl was clearly blind.

She couldn't watch. Hadara closed her eyes and braced herself to hear a scream of agony. She heard it a few moments later, but rather than the shrill cry she'd expected she heard a deeper voice ring through the arena. Hadara wrenched her eyes open to see the Smasher lodged into a wall. She was floored. She couldn't believe the young, blind girl had defeated the night's toughest competitor. She also couldn't believe she was seriously planning to steal the reward money from the girl. The Blind Bandit may have won the tournament, but surely she wouldn't be on guard outside of the ring.

Instead of following the rest of the audience out of the arena she made her way down to the floor and edged carefully behind the young girl and followed her out to a back alley behind the facility. She had just reached forward to grab the sack of gold pieces hanging out of the girl's pocket when she was sent flying into the wall of the building. When she'd gathered herself back into a sitting position she saw the girl standing over her, hands on her hips.

"What kind of person steals money from a blind girl?" the girl in questioned snapped.

Hadara winced. "Well, when you put it like that," she groaned getting back on her feet. She was suddenly very glad the girl couldn't see her as shame twisted her features. "I'm sorry. It's been days since I've eaten anything that hasn't come out of a dumpster. I just wanted the money for a hot meal. Maybe some shelter."

The girl growled. "Let me guess. They turned you away at the shelters," she replied.

Hadara nodded, then remembered the girl wouldn't see the action. "Yes," she whispered meekly.

"Unbelievable!" the girl exclaimed angrily. "They aren't supposed to do that. I can't believe how corrupt our shelters are! I guarantee you they have room for you. They're just trying to do less work." The girl sighed and her demeanor softened. "What's your name?"

"Hadara," the fire bender replied. "Please don't call for law enforcement! I promise I won't try to steal from anyone again."

"Relax," the girl assured her. "I don't need law enforcement. The girl opened her sack of gold pieces and emptied a few pieces into her pocket before handing the bag, more than half full, to her. "My name is Toph by the way."

"Toph," Hadara repeated and tried to hand the bag back. "I can't take this. It wouldn't be right."

"I won't take it back," Toph insisted. "I don't need it."

"But…"

"Look, I'll make a deal with you," Toph interrupted her. "You keep coming to the matches and keeping me company for a while after and I'll give you seventy-five percent of the reward money."

"How is that fair?" Hadara exclaimed dubiously.

"Because I said so," Toph replied easily. "Come on. I know a good place to eat around here. You're paying." Hadara laughed and followed the girl out of the alley. She had the feeling she'd made a life long friend.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Well, here's another chapter up. Hope you all enjoy. I will be posting my updated writing schedule on my profile tonight. If you ever want to know what fic I'm working on check there. Please leave a review and enjoy the chapter.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing from Avatar: The Last Airbender. All rights belong the the creators and writers of the show.

* * *

Hadara was meandering through town checking out the displays in the shop windows. Since her arrangement with Toph her life had improved greatly. She was off the streets. She was living in a hotel room. It wasn't grand but it was more comfortable then a bench or a hard cot in a shelter. She had enough to eat and a little extra to shop. The best part of the arrangement was that she got a friend out of it. She and Toph went out to eat and chat after every fight. Hadara had grown quite comfortable around the other girl and she thought perhaps she wasn't the only one benefiting from the arrangement. From what she gleaned from the other girl in their conversations she didn't have any friends. They were both happy to have found one in each other. Hadara was looking forward to the match tonight. Well, she was looking forward to their meeting after. The fighting itself she had long lost interest in. Most of it was just hyped up drama. She would have thought it was choreographed if Toph hadn't insisted it wasn't.

She had just turned a corner when her eyes landed on three familiar figures. Her eyes lighted up as she recognized Katara, Sokka, and Aang. The three were talking to two boys she'd seen around town a few times. She hurried closer to greet them. As she approached she noticed the tension hanging over the group and saw the two boys were antagonizing them before walking away. Katara looked like she was about to head after them.

"Katara!" she called waving as she jogged to them.

"Hadara?" Katara replied surprised before smiling widely. "Hi! I'm surprised to see you here."

"I'm living here for the moment," Hadara returned before looking over at Aang and Sokka. "Hey guys!"

"Hey, Hadara," Aang greeted her happily.

"How's it going, firebender," Sokka grumbled less excited.

"Sokka!" Katara scolded.

"Don't worry about it," Hadara brushed it off. "I expect that reaction anymore. What are you guys doing here?"

"We're trying to find Aang an earthbending teacher," Katara explained.

"Yeah, and we heard there's some earthbending fight club going on tonight," Sokka continued. "But those two boneheads wouldn't tell us where it is."

Hadara smiled. "I can help you with that," she said.

"Really?" Aang asked excitedly.

"Yeah. I was going tonight anyway," Hadara replied. "Besides, I'm friends with one of the fighters there. I bet they'd be a good teacher for you."

"That's great! You're the best!" Aang exclaimed.

"Hey, anything to help the Avatar," Hadara replied. "Let's grab dinner before we go. I know this great place."

"Hey! Front row seats!" Aang exclaimed excitedly as they approached a free bench in the fighting ring. "I wonder why no one else is sitting here?"

"Duck!" Hadara cried as a large rock came flying towards them. They all stood up carefully.

"Guess that's why," Sokka said.

"Welcome," a booming voice rang through the arena, "to Earth Rumble Six! I am your host, Shin Fu."

"This introduction is getting so old," Hadara sighed.

"How many times have you come here?" Katara asked.

"Every week since I got here pretty much," Hadara answered.

"This is just going to be a bunch of guys chucking rocks at each other, isn't it?" Katara questioned.

"That's what I paid for," Sokka exclaimed excitedly.

Hadara laughed. "It is for the most part, but I promise there's one contender you need to see," she replied. The group returned their attention back to the host.

"The rules are simple. Just knock the other guy out of the ring, and you win. Round one…the Boulder vs. the big, bad Hippo," Shin Fu announced. They watched the two men fight against each other.

"The Boulder has some good moves," Katara commented.

"I don't know," Aang replied. "Boomi said I need a teacher who listens to the earth. He just listens to his big muscles. What do you think, Sokka?" They all turned to see Sokka staring in awe at the Boulder.

"I think he has his vote," Hadara remarked.

"Thanks for bringing us here, Hadara, but I don't think the Boulder is who I want as my teacher," Aang said.

"I didn't bring you here the Boulder," Hadara replied. "Keep watching. They should be coming up soon."

As if she had predicted the future the host suddenly re-entered the ring. "Now the moment you've all been waiting for," he geared them up. "The Boulder vs. your champion…The Blind Bandit!" The dirt wall opened up to reveal Toph, who looked ridiculously tiny compared to her opponent.

"She can't really be blind. It's just part of her character, right?" Katara asked.

"I think she is," Aang said in awe.

"I think she's GOING DOWN!" Sokka hollered.

"I think you're a little too into this," Hadara snarked as she turned her eye to the ring.

"The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young, blind girl," the fighter said.

"Sounds to me like you're scared, Boulder," Toph taunted.

"The Boulder is now over his conflicted feeling and is ready to bury you!" the Boulder cried.

"Whenever you're ready, the Pebble," Toph called back.

"It's on!" the Boulder screamed. The group watched as the young girl totaled her opponent with ease.

"She's who I wanted you to see," Hadara said.

"How did she do that?" Katara exclaimed.

"She waited and listened," Aang replied in awe.

The host stepped out into the middle of the ring. "To make things a little more interesting, I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat the Blind Bandit," he announced. "No one dares to face her?"

"I will!" Aang cried standing up.

"What? Aang no!" Hadara cried, but Aang was already in the ring. She watched in dismay as the two prepared to fight.

"Do people really want to see two little girls fighting out here?" Toph laughed.

"I don't really want to fight you. I want to talk to you," Aang replied.

"Boo! No talking!" Sokka heckled.

"Don't boo him," Katara scolded.

"No. He should boo him. He's about to screw this up," Hadara cut in.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

"I know the Blind Bandit. She's been helping me out since I got to this town," Hadara told her. "She's very proud. If she loses to Aang she's going to be upset. Her earthbending skill is the only thing she gets satisfaction out of in life."

"Oh no. Aang!" Katara called, but too late. Aang carefully disguised his airbending in a move that took out Toph. Hadara watched as Toph stalked off, not listening to Aang's pleas.

Aang rejoined them when the stadium cleared out. "We need to find her," he cried. "Hadara can you take us to her?"

"Sorry," Hadara replied. "I have no idea where she lives."

"I thought you said she's been helping you out," Sokka said.

"She has. But I only see her on the nights of these tournaments," Hadara explained. "We meet up after the fighting and go grab some food."

"So where do we begin to look for her?" Katara asked.

"If we want to find the Blind Bandit the Earthbending Academy is a good place to start," Aang suggested.

"Well, I wish you guys luck," Hadara said.

"You aren't coming with us?" Aang asked.

"Well, I can if you want," Hadara replied.

"You know Toph," Katara said. "Maybe you'll be able to get her to speak with Aang."

"Okay then. I'll meet you at the academy in the morning," Hadara agreed.

Hadara met the Gaang at the Earthbending Academy in the morning. When they went inside they ran into the two boys who'd been antagonizing the crew yesterday. "Oh great," the one scoffed. "It's you again."

Katara made a motion that looked like she was going to attack and the boy flinched. Katara smirked. "Yeah, I didn't think so," she said.

"Hey, you're the kid who beat the Blind Bandit!" the other boy exclaimed staring at Aang in awe.

"We need to talk to her," Aang said. "Do you guys know where she lives?"

"The Blind Bandit's a mystery," the first boy replied in the negative. "She shows up to fight and then disappears."

"Let me handle this," Katara stepped in stalking up to the boys. "You're not telling us everything."

"No, no. I swear it's true," the boy stuttered. "No one knows where she goes or who she really is."

"That's because we're asking about the wrong person," Aang speculated out loud. "In my vision I saw a girl in a white dress with a pet flying boar. Do you know anybody like that?"

"Well, a flying boar is the symbol of the Beifong family," the boy told them. "They're the richest people in town. Probably the whole world."

"Yeah, but they don't have a daughter," the other boy said.

"Flying boar is good enough for me," Aang declared. "Let's check it out."

"Yeah, you better leave," the first boy said trying to sound tough.

"Hey!" Katara barked. "I've got my eye on you."

Sokka backed out of the building staring the two down. "Water tribe," he whispered backing out. The two boys looked at her. She smirked and huffed a cloud of smoke out of her nose. The boys took off running as she turned and joined the others. They made their way to the Beifong residence and climbed the walls into the enclosed yard. The garden was huge and elaborate and in the middle a statue of a boar stood prominent.

"That's they flying boar from my vision," Aang stated.

"What are you doing here Twinkle Toes?" a young girl's voice called out from behind them.

"Toph!" Hadara exclaimed.

"Hadara?" Toph questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"I was helping Aang and his friends find you. He has something he needs to ask you," Hadara explained.

Toph frowned. "How did you find me?" she asked.

"Well, a crazy king told me I had to find an earthbender who listened to the earth," Aang explained. "And then I had a vision in a magic swamp and…"

"What Aang is trying to say is he's the Avatar," Katara cut in. "And if he doesn't master earthbending soon he won't be able to defeat the Fire lord."

"Not my problem," Toph replied unconcerned. "Now get out of here or I'll call my guards."

"Come on, Toph," Hadara urged. "Give them a chance."

"Look, we all have to do our part to win the war and yours is to teach Aang earthbending," Sokka said. Hadara could have strangled him.

"Guards!" Toph shouted. "Guards!" Hadara grabbed Sokka and pulled him back over the wall, Aang and Katara following behind.

"What now?" Katara asked.

"No idea," Hadara replied. "She's actually really nice but she's a tough nut to crack."

"Well, how would you suggest we approach her?" Aang asked.

"Too late," Hadara remarked. "Sokka ruined that chance. She needs time to warm up to you but now she's not going to give you the chance."

"So what do we do?" Katara questioned.

"Maybe we could try to talk to her parents?" Hadara suggested unsurely.

"They're never going to invite us in," Sokka said.

"I don't think many people would refuse the Avatar," Hadara replied.

Sure enough they were let in to dinner at the Beifong residence that night. Hadara took a seat at the table and tried to enjoy her meal. It wasn't easy. Hadara found it hard to watch how much they babied Toph. The girl was blind. She knew. But she was far from the helpless girl she was acting around her parents. She outright cringed when her father asked a servant to blow on her soup for her and she could have kicked Aang when he offered and ended up blowing soup over everyone.

Toph's mother daintily dabbed the broth from her skirt. "Avatar Aang, it's an honor to have you visit us," she said.

"In your opinion, how much longer do you think the war will last?" Toph's father asked.

"I'd like to defeat the Fire lord by the end of the summer, but I can't do that without finding an earthbending teacher first," Aang answered.

"Well, Master Yu is the finest teacher in the land," Toph's father praised the town's instructor. "He's been teaching Toph since she was little."

"Then she must be a great earthbender," Aang exclaimed. "Probably good enough to teach someone else. Ow!"

"Toph is still learning the basics," Master Yu cut in.

"Yes, sadly because of her blindness, I don't think she will ever become a true master," her father said. Hadara grit her teeth and shoved food in her mouth so she wouldn't explode at this man's ignorance. She hated anyone who discounted another person for their disability. She had met plenty of talented people in her lifetime who were capable beings despite their disability.

Aang seemed to be thinking the same thing she was. "Oh, I'm sure she's better than you think she is," he remarked.

"What's your problem?!" Toph cried.

"What's your problem?" Aang shot back and the two glared at each other across the table.

"Well, should we move to the living room for desert then?" Toph's mother asked nervously.

The group was about to leave for the night when Toph approached them. "Relax," she said as she saw them tense. "Look, I'm sorry about dinner. Let's call a truce, okay?" Aang nodded and she led them out to the garden. She toed the ground with her bare feet. "Even though I was born blind I've never had a problem seeing. I see with earthbending. It's kind of like seeing with my feet. I feel the vibrations in the earth. I can see you, that tree, even those ants."

Hadara whistled. "Only a blind girl would notice ants," she teased.

Toph laughed. "Sorry I didn't wait for you last night," she apologized. "But I guess I didn't leave you hanging."

"No, but I missed our routine," Hadara answered. "You never told me how oblivious your parents are."

"They just don't understand," Toph explained. "They've always treated me like I was helpless."

"Is that why you became the Blind Bandit?" Aang asked.

"Yeah," Toph replied.

"Then why stay here when you're not happy?" Aang inquired.

"They're my parents," Toph replied. "Where else am I supposed to go?"

"You can come with us," Aang answered simply. "Hadara is."

"I am?" Hadara laughed.

"Well, I just thought you would," Aang replied sheepishly. "You were supposed to come with us the last time we met but then the fight broke out."

"You can count me in," Hadara said. "Toph, you should come. You'd be happier with us away from your parents."

"Yeah, you guys get to go wherever you want," she sighed. "No one telling you what to do. That's the life. It's just not my life." Suddenly, her head perked up. "We're being ambushed!" Before anyone could react a group of men descended on them and circled around them. The leader stepped out of the group. Hadara recognized him as the host to the Earthbending fights.

"I think you kids owe me some money," he growled and the three were grabbed and carried away.

"You think you're so tough?" Toph taunted their captors. "Why don't you come up here so I can snap that grin off your face."

"Toph," Hadara admonished.

"What?" she questioned.

"I'd kind of like to come out of this alive," Hadara said.

"Hey, lighten up," Toph replied. "We'll be fine."

"She's right, Hadara," Aang assured her. "Sokka and Katara will be here to help any minute."

"Toph!" a man's voice called out. They looked out to the room and saw Toph's father surrounded by Sokka, Katara, and Master Yu.

"Here's your money," Sokka said tossing the bag on the ground. "Now let them go." Master Yu shot the money across the floor to Xin Fu who took it and released Toph. Toph hurried across the room to her father who led her out of the arena. Hadara tensed as she realized she and Aang were not going to be released.

"What about Aang?" Katara cried.

"And Hadara?" Sokka added.

"I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar and the fugitive," Xin Fu sneered. "Now, out of my ring." He backed away and his fighters stepped out into the ring.

"Go, we'll be okay," Aang called to his friends.

Hadara wasn't so sure but she didn't want her new friends to get hurt over her. "He's right," she shouted. "Get out of here!"

"Toph, there's too many of them," Katara said disregarding their orders. "We need an earthbender. We need you!"

"My daughter is blind," her father snapped. "She can't help you!"

Toph stepped away from her father. "Yes, I can," she said firmly. She stepped up to the fighters in the ring. "I've beaten you all once. I can do it again."

"The Boulder takes issue with that comment," the pebbles for brains fighter jeered.

"I'm surprised the Boulder understood what that comment meant," Hadara huffed under her breath as she heard the fighting start out. Shortly, both she and Aang were freed from their confinement and they looked around to see the fighters all lying in broken heaps. Looking back at the carnage they slowly followed Toph out of the arena.

Hadara fumed as Toph's parents rejected their daughter's talents and determined that they needed to keep a closer eye on her. The only thing that prevented her from saying what she truly felt about their decisions for their daughter was her respect for Toph. So when Toph's father requested their leave she stood with the others and turned for the door.

"Don't worry. We'll find you a teacher," Katara assured Aang when they were outside with Appa. "There are plenty of amazing earthbenders out there."

"Not like her," Aang replied sadly. Just as they were about to leave Toph came running towards them. "Toph! What are you doing here?"

"My dad changed his mind," Toph answered quickly. "He said I was free to travel the world."

"I doubt that," Hadara huffed sharing a concerned look with Katara and Sokka. They decided to let it go though and waved her up.

"Well, we better get out of here before your dad changes his mind again," Sokka remarked.

"Good idea," Toph laughed.

"You're going to be a great teacher, Toph," Aang said.

"Speaking of which, I want to show you something," Toph said mysteriously.

"Okay," Aang said hopping down from Appa. Toph sent a rock up and sent him flying.

"Now we're even," Toph replied letting Hadara pull her up on Appa. "Um, I'll take the belt back." Sokka tossed it at her and it clocked her on the head. "Ow!"

"Sorry," Sokka said awkwardly.

"Come on," Hadara said as Aang perched back on Appa. "Let's get going."


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Well I'm feeling very pleased with this chapter. I am looking forward to the next few chapters to this fic. I hope you enjoy the chapter and please leave a review. Hopefully, I won't hit another period of writer's block so you don't have to wait so long for an update. Thank you for reading.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own anything from Avatar: The Last Airbender. All rights belong to the creators of the animated show.

* * *

Hadara was happy when Appa began to descend from the sky. She wasn't used to flying and she wasn't sure she liked it. She trusted Appa to get them to their destination safely, but there was something disconcerting about glancing around and seeing nothing but clouds for miles. When the flying bison finally landed she climbed over the lip of the ladder and slid down his tail. She quickly began to help the others start unloading their gear.

"Hey, you guys picked a great campsite!" Toph exclaimed. "The grass is so soft.

"That's not grass," Sokka replied. "Appa's shedding."

"Oh, gross!" Katara grumbled.

"That's not gross," Aang said cheerfully. "It's just a part of spring. You know, rebirth, flowers blooming, and Appa gets a new coat."

"Well, that's great for Appa but I'm with Katara," Hadara replied picking white hairs off her dress. "Besides, with spring also comes mud and allergies. I wouldn't mind skipping this season."

"I feel you there," Katara agreed. The two girls smiled at each other until a Appa sneezed and a cloud of white fur exploded around them. "Appa, stop! Ugh!"

"And I just got it all off me," Hadara sighed.

"It's not that bad, you two," Sokka said from where he was bent over picking something up off the ground. When he stood up and turned to face the two of them he was wearing Appa's fur like a wig. "It makes a great wig!"

Aang stepped up to them with the white fur hanging from his chin. "And a great beard!" he added. Hadara and Katara shared an unimpressed look.

"I'm just glad there's finally other girls in the group," Katara stated, "because you two are disgusting."

Toph joined them then. "Excuse me, does anyone have a razor?" she asked and then lifted her arms to reveal white fur sticking out of the sleeves of her robe. "Because I have some hairy pits."

"I think you spoke to soon," Hadara replied slightly amused. Katara laughed and the two girls watched the others antics for a little while before everyone got back to work setting up camp. Hadara was helping Aang put up a tent while Sokka lit a fire which Katara began to boil water over. Hadara was just tying her end of the rope to a post stuck in the ground when Katara's voice had her glancing over at the other girl.

"So, Toph, usually when setting up camp, we try to divide the work up," Katara said.

"Hey, don't worry about me," Toph replied. "I'm good to go."

"Well, actually what I'm trying to say is," Katara returned sounding strained, "some of us might fetch water, while someone else might set up the fire pit or put up the tent." Momo, the group's flying lemur, flew over Katara's head carrying a bunch of berries. "Even Momo does his fair share."

"Katara, I'm fine. I can carry my own weight. I don't need a fire, I've already collected my own food, and look," Toph said as she earthbended a makeshift tent around her. "My tent's all set up." Hadara watched the two's conversation wearily. She could see that they were both growing agitated.

Sure enough, Katara pressed on with the issue. "Well, that's great for you, but we still need to finish…"

"I don't understand what's the problem here!" Toph snapped.

Katara groaned in frustration and backed away. "Never mind," she snapped back. Toph threw another wall up in her makeshift tent as Katara stomped back to the fire pit.

Hadara approached the waterbender. "Hey," she said. "I know you're frustrated with her, but try to be a little more understanding. She had an entirely different upbringing than you. You come from a tribe where everyone works together to survive. She grew up as a rich only child where everything was handed to her and the things she did do she did them for herself. She doesn't know how to work as a team yet. Give her time. She'll learn."

Katara sighed. "You're probably right," she replied. "I'll go apologize." Hadara opened her mouth to suggest that now may not be the best time but Katara had already approached Toph again. "Toph, I wanted to apologize for earlier. I think we're all just a little tired and getting on each other's nerves."

"Yeah, you do seem pretty tired," Toph commented. Hadara winced at the girl's blunt behavior. She was used to her friend's less than subtle behaviors. She had forgotten it had taken a while to not let herself be insulted by the Toph's sometimes hurtful comments. For the most part they weren't intended to hurt anyone's feelings.

But Katara didn't know that about her yet and it showed as she practically growled, "I meant all of us."

"Well, good night," Toph dismissed her.

"Good night," Katara huffed and walked away. A little while later and the rest of them finally had the campsite set up and had piled into their respective beds.

Hadara startled awake at Toph's cry. She opened tire eyes to see the younger girl standing up and on full alert. "What's wrong?" she asked sleepily.

"There's something moving towards us," Toph said.

"What is it?" Aang asked.

Toph bent down and pressed her hand flat on the ground. "It feels like an avalanche, but also not an avalanche."

"Well, that's specific," Hadara huffed.

"Your powers of perception are frightening," Sokka added. The two shared a look.

"Should we leave?" Katara asked sounding nervous.

"Better safe than sorry," Aang replied getting out of his sleeping bag. Hadara sighed slightly as she climbed out of hers and helped the others pack up camp quickly before climbing back on Appa's back. Appa rose up in the sky and the group glanced over the edge of the soil to see some sort of tank moving quickly across the ground.

"What is that thing?" Katara asked. No one had an answer. They remained in the air for another hour before finally Aang had Appa land.

"Land, sweet land," Toph exclaimed. "See you guys in the morning."

"Actually, you can help us unload," Katara said.

"Really? You need me to help unload Sokka's funky smelling sleeping bag?" Toph replied.

"Well, yeah," Katara answered. "That and everything else. You're part of a team now and…"

"Look!" Toph cut her off. "I didn't ask you to help unload my stuff. I'm carrying my own weight."

"Here we go again," Hadara sighed.

"That's not the point!" Katara screeched. "Ever since you joined us you've been nothing but selfish and unhelpful."

"What?!" Toph shrieked. "Look here Sugar Queen, I gave up everything I had so I could teach Aang earthbending." Hadara bit her lip from pointing out that the girl hadn't given up much and continued to watch the show playing out in front of her as Toph continued to rant. "So don't you talk to me about being selfish!" Toph quickly built up earth walls around her blocking Katara out.

"Sugar Queen?!" Katara cried and Toph built a door in front of her. "Did you just slam the door in my face? How can you be so infuriating?" She started pounding on the rock wall.

"Should we do something?" Aang asked where he stood beside Hadara and Sokka.

"Hey, I'm just enjoying the show," Sokka replied. Aang looked at Hadara next.

"I'm not getting in the middle of that," she said. "Besides, I am another girl. I'll just get dragged in. Trust me, you don't want that."

Aang sighed before approaching the other two. "Okay, okay," he said. "You both need to calm down."

Katara spun around to face him. "Both?!" she shrieked. "I'm completely calm!"

Aang started backing away. "I…can see that."

"Let's just get our gear set up so we can sleep," Hadara suggested. "This argument will subside eventually.

A while later they had everything unpacked and her back in their sleeping bags. The tension hadn't completely subsided. Hadara could practically feel Katara seething from where she lay next to her.

"The stars sure are beautiful tonight," Katara commented suddenly. "Too bad you can't see them, Toph!" She then shrieked as she rose up in the air and landed on Sokka.

"Hey!" Sokka snapped pushing Katara off of him. "How's a guy supposed to sleep with this yelling and earthquaking?"

Suddenly, Toph reappeared from her tent. "That thing is back!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Hadara grumbled sitting up.

"How far away is it?" Sokka asked lying back down. "Maybe we can close our eyes for just for a minute."

"I don't think so, Sokka," Aang replied and the group looked up to see the smoke rising above the trees. They all got up and gathered their things back onto Appa's saddle before flying away from their campsite. Hadara and Katara both sleepily glanced back down at the tank train.

"Seriously, what is that thing?" Katara questioned.

"And how does it keep finding us?" Toph added.

"I don't know," Aang replied, "but this time I'm going to make sure we lose it." This time they were in the air even longer, and Appa didn't take them in a straight path. They were all ready to sleep when the flying bison finally did land.

"Okay, forget about setting up camp," Sokka groaned. "I'm finding the softest pile of dirt and going to sleep."

"That's good because Toph wasn't going to help anyway," Katara remarked nastily.

"Oh, I didn't realize the baby still needed someone to tuck her in bed," Toph mocked.

"Could the two of you knock it off?" Hadara complained from where she was curling up beside Appa.

"Hadara's right," Aang said. "There's something after us and we don't even know what or who it is."

"It could be Zuko," Katara suggested. "We haven't seen him since the North Pole."

"Who's Zuko?" Toph asked.

"Oh, just some angry freak with a pony tail who's tracked us all over the world," Sokka remarked.

"You don't think it's Zuko, do you?" Hadara asked worriedly.

"Hey, you have nothing to worry about," Katara told her soothingly.

"Even if it is Zuko you're not alone," Aang said. "You have us."

"And anyway," Sokka added, "whoever's chasing us couldn't have followed us here, so would everyone just, shhh?" Momo hopped on top of him and began to chitter loudly. "No Momo, shh. Sleepy time." But the flying lemur just continued to make aggravated shrieking sounds. "Oh, don't tell me…"

"That's impossible!" Aang exclaimed. "There's no way they could have tracked us."

"I can feel it with my own two feet," Toph said. The group hurried to the edge of the cliff they had stopped on and peered down to into the mountains. The tank train was rambling straight for them.

"Let's get out of here," Katara urged.

"Maybe we should face them," Aang suggested. "Find out who they are. Who knows, maybe their friendly."

"Always the optimist," Sokka sighed.

"I'm not getting friendly vibes from that thing," Hadara agreed watching as the tank came to a stop. A door slid open on the side of the tank and three girls riding Mongoose Lizards came out. Hadara's eyes widened in shock as she realized who the three girls were.

"It's those girls from Omashu!" Katara exclaimed.

"Azula," Hadara whispered.

"You know them?" Aang asked.

Hadara nodded. "That's Azula and her two friends Mai and Ty Lee," she said. "We need to get out of here. Now."

"We can take them," Toph replied. "Four on three."

"Actually, Toph, there's five of us," Sokka pointed out.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Toph said. "I didn't count you. You know, no bending and all."

"I can still fight!" Sokka cried indignantly.

"Okay, four on three plus Sokka," Toph corrected herself. Sokka growled. Toph ignored him as she built up three columns in front of the girls approaching them. Their Mongoose Lizards just leapt over the columns, however and quickly gained ground between them.

"Well, we wanted to find out who they were and we found out," Sokka said backing away. "Now let's get out of here." Hadara didn't need to be told twice. She spun around on her heels and headed back for Appa. The flying bison quickly had the group back up in the air as they alluded the three girls another time that night.

"I can't believe those girls followed s all the way from Omashu," Katara said.

"I still think we could've taken them," Toph grumbled.

"Are you kidding me?" Katara replied. "The crazy blue firebending and the flying daggers are bad enough, but the last time we saw them, one of those girls did something that took away my bending. That's scary."

"Ty Lee can be scary," Hadara said. "But Azula, the one who can firebend, she's the dangerous one. We need to get away from them."

"How do you know them?" Sokka asked.

"I was raised in the Fire Kingdom," Hadara replied. "I used to be play mates with all of them." The group remained silent for a while as they continued to soar across the sky. Soon, the sky began to turn pink around them. Sokka groaned.

"Oh no, the sun is rising," he complained. "We've been up all night with no sleep!"

"Sokka, we'll be okay," Aang soothed.

"Are you sure?" Sokka questioned. "I've never not slept before! What if I fall asleep now and something happens? And something always happens!"

"Every time we land those girls are there," Katara said. "So we'll just have to keep flying."

"We can't keep flying forever," Aang replied. "So what's our plan?"

"Don't know," Toph yawned. "Too tired to think."

"I think planning is going to have to wait until later," Hadara hummed as she curled up into a ball.

"I'm sure we'll come up with something after a short nap," Katara said. They all began to nod off when suddenly they began to plummet out of the sky. Hadara felt her stomach drop and she screamed as she realized how quickly they were approaching the ground.

"What's going on?" Toph shouted.

"Appa fell asleep!" Aang exclaimed. The avatar crawled over Appa's head and tapped him between the eyes. "Wake up, buddy!" The flying bison woke up before they crashed and flew them clumsily through the tree tops before landing on the ground. They all slid out of the saddle. Hadara took a few steps away from the flying bison on shaking legs.

"Appa's exhausted," Aang said glumly.

"Okay, we've put a lot of distance between us and them," Sokka stated. "The plan right now is to follow Appa's lead and get some sleep."

"Of course, we could've gotten some sleep earlier if Toph didn't have such issues," Katara remarked.

"Not this again," Hadara sighed fighting to keep her eyes open.

"What?!" Toph screeched.

"Alright, alright," Aang intervened. "Everyone's exhausted. Let's just get some rest."

"No. I want to hear what Katara has to say," Toph said standing up. "You think I have issues?"

"I'm just saying maybe if you helped out earlier we could have set up camp faster and gotten some sleep," Katara replied. "And then maybe we wouldn't be in this situation!"

"Katara, calm down," Hadara urged. "There's no guarantee that…"

"You're blaming me for this!" Toph's cry interrupted her.

"No one is blaming anyone," Hadara cut back in quickly.

"No, I'm blaming her," Katara stated.

"That's not helping," Hadara sighed. "You both need to…"

"Hey!" Toph exclaimed and glared angrily at Katara. "I never asked you for didly-doo-dah. I carry my own weight. Besides, if there's anyone to blame, it's Sheddy over here."

"What?" Aang cried. "You're blaming Appa?" Hadara threw up in hands in frustration and went over to sit beside Sokka and watched the shit show play out.

"Yeah," Toph said. "You want to know how they keep finding us?" Toph grabbed a handful of Appa's fur that had drifted down to the ground when he'd landed. "He's leaving a trail everywhere we go!"

Aang jumped down in front of Toph looking angry. "How dare you blame Appa!" he snapped. "He saved your life three times today! If there's anyone to blame, it's you! You're always talking about how you carry your own weight, but you're not. He is! Appa's carrying your weight. He never had a problem flying when it was just the three of us."

Toph stomped the ground and launched her bag into the air which she caught smoothly. "I'm out of here," she said before turning and walking away from the group.

Hadara stood up and approached her. "Toph, be reasonable here," she urged. "You can't go off on your own."

"Back off, Hadara!" Toph snapped. "You know I can take care of myself. Now let me go." Toph wrenched away from her and began to walk off again.

"Wait!" Sokka cried rushing after her but she just altered his direction with the earth before she disappeared into the trees.

"What did I just do?" Aang groaned. "I can't believe I yelled at my earthbending teacher. Now she's gone."

"I know," Katara sighed looking guilty. "We're all just trying to get used to each other. And I was so mean to her."

"This is probably the wrong time to say I told you so but…" Hadara said, "I told you so."

"Yeah, you two were pretty much jerks," Sokka stated.

"Thanks, you two," Katara replied sarcastically.

"Look, Toph will come around," Hadara said. "She just needs to cool off. We'll give her some time before we go and find her. But we need to deal with the bigger issue at hand first."

"Agreed," Sokka replied. "What are we going to do about the tank full of dangerous ladies chasing us?"

Aang picked another clump of fur off of Appa and smiled. "I have an idea," he exclaimed.

* * *

"This is disgusting," Hadara commented as she watched clumps of fur being carried away by the river's current. She was helping the other three bathe Appa. The flying bison and Aang were the only two that looked happy with the situation.

"Toph was right," Aang said. "The fur was leaving a trail right to us. But now that he's clean, no more trail!"

"So now you two are free to track down Toph," Hadara added.

"Are you sure he's okay to fly?" Katara asked as she and Sokka climbed onto the flying bison's back.

"He'll be fine as long as we leave his saddle and all our stuff here," Aang said as he split up piles of fur with Hadara. "We're going to use Appa's fur to leave a fake trail. You two go find Toph."

Hadara and Aang watched as Appa took off with Katara and Sokka before they moved on through the forest dropping clumps of fur as they went. Aang glided over head while she walked on the ground until they reached a ghost town. They traveled up the main road and into the center of town before they both ran out of Appa's fur.

"I guess we double back and try and catch up with the others now?" Hadara asked.

"No," Aang replied slowly as he sat down on the ground. "I want to see if the plan worked."

"You want to wait for them to come find us!" Hadara cried. "Look, you don't know Azula like I do. You don't want her to find you."

"We can't keep running from her," Aang replied. "I want to know what she wants. You don't have to stay with me if you're scared." Hadara bit her lip. She was scared, but she didn't want to leave Aang alone to face this threat either. Nervously, she sat down beside him, hoping Azula would never show up.

She wasn't that lucky. Maybe a half hour had passed when Azula rode up on her Mongoose Lizard and dismounted in front of them. Hadara rose quickly to her feet ready to run, but Aang remained calm.

"Alright, you've caught up with me," he said. "Now, who are you exactly and what do you want?"

"You mean you haven't guessed? You don't see the family resemblance?" Azula taunted. "Here's a hint." She held a hand over her left eye and the next she spoke it was in a much lower tone. "I must find the Avatar to restore my honor!" Hadara scowled. She was no fan of Zuko but it was disgusting that his own sister would mock a physical injury that must have caused him a great deal of pain. Aang also didn't look amused. It seemed to puzzle Azula. "It's okay, you can laugh. It's funny."

"So what now?" Aang asked not giving her the response she wanted.

"Now it's over," Azula replied getting back to business. "You're both tired and you have nowhere to go. You can run, but I'll catch you."

Aang rose to his feet. "I'm not running," he said. "And neither is Hadara."

"Oh, I wouldn't count her," Azula laughed. "She always runs." Hadara looked at Aang and then at the surroundings around them. She didn't want to leave him to fight Azula alone, but every nerve in her was urging her to run for it. She fought the urge and settled into a defensive pose.

Azula smirked. "Do you really want to fight me?" she questioned.

"Yes, I really do," a male voice rang out of nowhere and Hadara turned her head to the left and gasped when she saw Zuko dismounting from his Ostrich Horse.

"Zuko!" she cried.

He glanced over at her and his good eye widened in surprise. "Hadara!" he said surprised, but she didn't wait around for him to say or do anything more. She sent a large burst of fire at both Zuko and Azula before tearing off in the opposite direction. She ran blindly for a while, not even noticing when she had cleared the abandoned town. Hadara only stopped when she could no longer get air into her lungs.

She landed hard on her knees as she gasped for breath. She beat the ground with her fists in frustration. Azula was right she always ran away. She looked over her shoulder and saw the town was still in sight. She had left Aang to fight the two firebenders by himself. After he had been such a good friend to her and saved her three times today alone. She set back her shoulders and stood up turning to face the town. She was going back.

Hadara rushed back into town frantically trying to find the main road. She hadn't paid attention to where she'd been going when she ran away and nothing looked familiar to her. Finally, she stumbled out from beside a house and saw Azula trapped with her back against the wall. She was relieved to see that Katara and Sokka had joined the fight along with Toph. They must have found her quickly for them to all be here. And beside Zuko was General Iroh. They all were currently teamed up against Azula.

Hadara hung back for another moment and was just about to head towards the group when Azula shot a blast at General Iroh, who screamed in pain. She gasped in shock and watched as Azula quickly got away as the others turned their attention towards the wounded general. Hadara saw Katara offer to help but Zuko screamed for her to leave. She watched as Aang's group hurried towards Appa who stood at the edge of the town. She started to rush after them, but hesitated and glanced back and saw Zuko struggling to get his uncle into a nearby home. She remembered how much her father had admired the general and had even thought of him as a friend. She sighed and turned away from Aang and his friends. She was needed here.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Well, I finally have Hadara with Zuko and Iroh and am super excited. I hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading. If you have the time I would love a review.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own anything from Avatar: The Last Airbender. All rights belong to Nick.

* * *

Hadara had returned to the abandoned town with the intention of aiding Iroh and Zuko, but she had seen Zuko's angry outburst when Katara had offered her help. For once, she sympathized with him. Although she did not think highly of the fire prince she knew he cared for his uncle. For the next two days Hadara hung around the two from a distance waiting for the right moment to make her appearance known. And as it turned out Zuko really didn't need her help. He took diligent care of his uncle.

Still, Hadara was just as concerned as Zuko that Iroh had yet to wake up. As she stepped up onto the broken-down porch to the home the other two firebenders were taking shelter in she decided today would be the day she offered her help. As it turned out though, she arrived just as Iroh finally rejoined the living. She saw the Zuko's relief as his shoulders dropped with his vanishing tension.

"Uncle…" he said helping the old man to a sitting position. "You were unconscious. Azula did this to you. It was a surprise attack."

"Somehow, that's not so surprising," Iroh returned clearly trying to ease his nephew's worry.

Zuko handed his uncle a steaming cup. "I hope I made it the way you like it," he said. Iroh took the cup and struggled not to make a face. Hadara choked back a laugh from where she watched on the porch. She was glad to see the general up.

"Good. That was very…. uh, bracing," Iroh struggled to come up with something to say before tossing the second cup he was given away while Zuko had his back turned.

"So, Uncle, I've been thinking, it's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again," Zuko said. "I'm going to need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a chance against her. I know what you're going to say, she's my sister and I should try to get along with her."

"No, she's crazy and she needs to go down," Iroh cut him off. He slowly climbed to his feet. "It is time to resume your training. You as well Hadara."

"Hadara?" Zuko questioned before turning his head in her direction. "What are you still doing here?"

"I…I thought maybe you might have needed help taking care of your uncle," Hadara explained.

"Well I didn't," Zuko snapped.

"Yes, I know," Hadara admitted. "I don't know why I'm still here. I guess I just…. I don't have anywhere else to go."

"Well, I think it's best if we stick together," Iroh said before his nephew could get another word in. "Now, the both of you follow me. We'll find a place to train." Zuko immediately followed his uncle. Hadara was more hesitant, not moving from her spot on the porch. They both noticed a moment later that she had not joined them.

"Well, come on," Zuko grumbled.

"I…I haven't used my firebending in years," she said. "There's no point in training me. I can't catch up in enough time for me to ever be useful in a fight."

"Not to sound arrogant but you can with me as your teacher," Iroh stated and then smiled warmly at her. "And you especially can with your father's blood running through your veins. He was very talented. I'm sure you will be too. Now, come on. No one will get any better if we stand here all day.

They had spent the morning training under Iroh's supervision. Hadara had started off more than a little rusty, but after Iroh had helped correct her form she was feeling she was starting to get the basics down by the time noon rolled around. She beamed when she managed to get through one combination step without error.

"Very good," Iroh praised. "Pretty soon you'll master the basics. It's a shame you've been unable to practice the last four years. You would be quite a formidable opponent."

Hadara shrugged. "There's no point mulling over things you can't change," she said. "The only thing to do now is try and make up for the time I've lost."

Iroh smiled at her. "And I have no doubt you'll catch up in no time with more practice," he replied. They both turned to watch Zuko practicing a new form Iroh had taught him. Hadara knew Zuko was not as adept as his sister but he looked more than formidable to her as he glided through the form.

"Excellent, Prince Zuko," Iroh exclaimed as his nephew came to a resting position. "You'll do well against your sister the next time you meet."

"It's not enough," Zuko replied. "I need to learn how to lightening bend."

"That's a very advanced move," Iroh stated.

"Which is why I need to learn it if I want to defeat Azula," Zuko insisted.

"Very well," Iroh agreed, Hadara thought somewhat reluctantly. "But let's take a break first." Hadara helped Iroh get a fire going for tea and the three sat around it. As they settled, Iroh began to explain the form of lightening bending. "Lightening is a pure form of firebending, without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightening the cold-blooded fire. It is precise and deadly, like Azula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind."

"I see," Zuko said. "That's why we're drinking tea. To calm the mind." Hadara hid a smile as Iroh's expression changed to one of embarrassed surprise.

"Oh yeah, good point!" he agreed unconvincingly. "I mean yes." The three wrapped up their break and Iroh took them back outside. Hadara went back to practicing the forms Iroh had shown her in the morning while Zuko prepared to try lightening bending for the first time. Hadara kept her focus on her forms, measuring her steps carefully, going a little faster every time. After a few rounds, she began to use the forms while firebending. She smiled as the flames she produced reacted the way they should. She had almost finished a form when the sound of an explosion startled her. She shrieked and turned around to Zuko flat on his ass. Iroh looked solemn standing next to him.

"Are you okay?" Hadara asked.

"I'm fine!" Zuko snapped getting back to his feet. "It's not like you care anyway." Hadara glared coolly at him before returning to her forms. The anger burning in her added strength to the flames she produced. She worked tirelessly for the next hour, mastering the forms, as Zuko continued to fail at producing lightening even once. She tried not to feel satisfaction over this.

Zuko growled as once again he was knocked down. "Why can't I do it?" he cried in frustration. "Instead of lightening it keeps exploding in my face…. like everything always does."

"Did you want applause to go along with that performance," Hadara remarked, getting back at him for earlier. Zuko opened his mouth to retort but Iroh interceded before the two could go after each other.

"I was afraid this might happen," he admitted looking at Zuko and Hadara remembered his reluctance to teach him lightening bending earlier in the morning. "You will not be able to master lightening until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you."

"What turmoil?!" Zuko shouted. Iroh and Hadara shared a looked.

Iroh turned back to his nephew. "Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away."

"But I don't feel any shame at all," Zuko argued. "I'm as proud as ever."

"Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source," Iroh explained wisely. "True humility is the only antidote to shame."

"Well, my life has been nothing but humbling lately," Zuko grumbled.

"It's not fun being an outcast, is it?" Hadara huffed.

Iroh looked back and forth between the two of them and then smiled. "I have another idea," he stated. "I will teach you both a firebending move that even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself." Hadara and Zuko both smiled. Iroh led them back closer to the abandoned home they were residing at and waited until they sat down in front of them before he began.

"Fire is the element of power," he explained as he drew the fire nation symbol in the dirt. "The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy to drive and achieve what they want. Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring." Iroh added the air bending symbol to his drawings. "The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor!" Hadara cracked a smile but Zuko just stared at him blankly. Iroh drew the last elemental symbol in the dirt in front of them. "Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything."

"Why are you telling us these things?" Zuko asked.

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places," Iroh explained. "If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole."

"All this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff," Zuko grumbled.

"You haven't heard Avatar talk until you spend a day with him," Hadara said.

"It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful. But it can make you more powerful, too," Iroh said. "You see, the technique I'm about to teach you is one I learned by studying the water benders. Water benders deal with the flow of energy. A waterbender lets their defense become their offence, turning their opponent's energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightening."

"You can teach me to redirect lightening?" Zuko exclaimed.

"How?" Hadara asked. She had never heard of such a thing.

"If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightening will follow it," Iroh told them. "You must create a pathway from your fingertips, up your arm to your shoulder, then down into your stomach." Iroh demonstrated the motion as he explained the move to them. "The stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is call the sea of chi. Only in my case it is more like a vast ocean. From the stomach, you direct it up again, and out the other arm. The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightening pass through your heart, or the damage could be deadly. You may wish to try a physical motion, to get a feel for the pathway's flow, like this." Iroh created a wave like motion with his body. Hadara and Zuko both stood up and began to imitate the move.

Iroh beamed. "Are you focusing on your energy?" he questioned them. "Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out?"

"I think so," Zuko replied skeptically.

"What's it supposed to feel like again?" Hadara questioned.

"Come on, you've got to feel the flow," Iroh said completing the motion again. Hadara and Zuko continued to practice for a few more minutes before Iroh motioned for them to stop. "Excellent! You both have it."

"Great, I'm ready to try it with real lightening!" Zuko exclaimed.

"What, are you crazy?" Hadara and Iroh cried.

"Lightening is very dangerous," Iroh stated.

"I thought that was the point!" Zuko cried. "You teaching me how to protect myself from it!"

"Yeah, but I'm not going to shoot lightening at you!" Iroh exclaimed. "If you're lucky you will never have to use this technique at all."

"Well, if you won't help me, I'll find my own lightening," Zuko snapped turning away and walking off into the desert surrounding them.

"Did he lose brain cells when he got that scar in a sparring accident?" Hadara asked watching Zuko's retreating form. When Iroh didn't immediately reply she turned to face him, and was surprised to see him frowning at her. She blushed. "I'm sorry. I know he's your nephew. I just…"

"There's no need to explain yourself to me," Iroh assured her warmly. "I am not angry with you. You don't understand. Zuko did not get that scar in a sparring accident."

"He didn't?" Hadara asked. Iroh shook his head. "Then how did he get it?"

"His father burned him as a punishment for speaking out of terms in a war meeting. That's the short version anyway," Iroh explained glumly.

Hadara's jaw dropped in shock. "That's despicable!" she spat, disgusted. "What kind of father does that to their own kid? Or any kid?"

Iroh smiled sadly. "Before we judge others for their actions and behaviors it is important to remember we all have different backgrounds," he said. "Neither you or Zuko have had it easy. Now, come on. We'll have a cup of tea while we wait for him to come back."

Two hours later it had been pouring for quite some time and Zuko had yet to come back. Iroh side as he pushed himself up on his feet. "I should go look for him," he said.

"No, I will," Hadara insisted getting to her feet. "You're still recovering. You should rest."

Iroh handed her a thin blanket. "It's won't be much protection, but it's better than nothing," he said. Hadara took the blanket and held it over her head as she stepped out into the downpour. She walked off in the direction Zuko had gone. She had been walking for half an hour when she finally found him. By then she was soaked, her clothes sticking uncomfortably to her body and her curls matted down on her head. She had forsaken using the blanket a while ago. The fabric was soaked through and was doing nothing to keep her dry. Needless to say, she wasn't pleased that Zuko had her out in this storm. She was about to make some waspish comment when he suddenly dropped to his knees.

Concerned she approached him slowly and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Zuko?" He glanced up at her startled, not having heard her approach, and she noticed the tears sliding down his face along with the raindrops. Wordlessly, she wrapped the soaked blanket around his shoulders and pulled him to his feet. She opened her mouth to say something but noticed him tense. Instead she smiled slightly and wrapped an arm around his shoulders and urged him back in the abandoned village. He followed without protest as they walked silently on together, lost in their own tragic pasts.


End file.
